Rugged Daddy

“I’m in this position because of you.”

“Open this door now, Heather!” Nicole exclaimed.

Her fist came down onto the door, and Heather reached for the knob again.

“Look, I know you’re in this position because of me, and I’m trying to fix it. I’m trying to change it. But for now, you have to listen. You just have to listen, Heather. You’re carrying my child, so I get a say in what you do.”

“Excuse me?” she asked.

Fuck.

“You’re carrying my child,” I said again.

“Trust me, I know that more than anyone. So you’re going to listen to me while I have your ear. You don’t own me. You don’t control me. You put me in this situation, but I don’t have to bend to your every will. My best friend is standing behind this door, and I’m going to go talk to her. I’m going to confide in her like you said I could, and if you don’t like it, then you can go fuck yourself.”

“I know this is all outlandish, but this has been my life for over two years. I watched my brother die. I saw what the Mafia did to him. You can’t put yourself at unnecessary risk. You’re pregnant.”

“And your daughter is coming out of her bedroom.”

I held my breath and listened as small footsteps padded down the hallway. I heard the door open and looked up, then watched Heather walk out the door. Nicole’s eyes were on fire, glaring at me as Heather slipped out onto the porch. I went to reach for her, pull her back into this fucking cabin, and lock her in until I knew the coast was clear.

But Audrey’s voice hit my ear as the door shut in front of me. “Daddy?”

“Yes, princess?” I asked.

I heard car doors slamming before the sound of tires rolling away filled the cabin.

“Can I have a snack?”

I looked out the window and watched a car drive away with my beautiful Heather in it. Fucking hell, that woman was stubborn, and she was going to get her fucking stubborn ass killed and my child right along with her.

“Let Daddy make a phone call, and then I’ll get you something, okay?” I asked. “Get up in your seat and be thinking about what you want.”

“I want ice cream.”

“Then, ice cream it is.”

“Can Miss Heather have ice cream?”

Her question punched me in my gut. No, Heather wouldn’t because she’d abandoned us as readily as Audrey’s mother. Was it only a matter of time before she demanded her millions like my ex had as well?

No, that wasn’t fair. I shook my head. Heather wasn’t like my ex in the slightest. She was just angry and overwhelmed, that was all. I had to believe she would put the baby’s safety over her own selfish needs.

“Sit down, and I’ll get some ice cream for you in a second,” I said.

Then I pulled out my phone and dialed Hudson.

I raked my hand through my hair as I looked down the hallway at Audrey. I felt caught between a rock and a hard place. I couldn't risk Audrey’s life by taking her into town, but Heather was pregnant with my other child. I had to make sure she was okay, and this was the only way I could do it.

“What is it?”

“Heather just left,” I said as I walked down the hallway.

“Who the fuck is Heather?”

“It’s so much, and I can’t get into right now, but I need you to listen and not ask questions. Heather is the woman I was going to do the surrogacy with, but we cut it off. We had an encounter before all of us left town to do all that testimony bullshit. She got pregnant, so I brought her here to stay with me so I could keep her safe. She knows what’s going on, but she’s upset. Overwhelmed. Tired of being cooped up and being told what to do.”

“Shit Cameron, this isn’t good,” he said.